Warning after several keyless car thefts in south Lincolnshire

Police are urging owners of keyless vehicles to remain vigilant after a string of thefts in the south of Lincolnshire.

Four high-powered vehicles were targeted by thieves in Spalding in the early hours of Wednesday, 28 February.

The culprits are using relay equipment to boost the signal of an electronic car key within the home, to open a vehicle outside. They are doing this by holding an antenna towards the property.

There has also been a rise in the number of car theft attempts and while unsuccessful, we wish to warn our communities and highlight steps you can take to remain safe.

Vehicle owners can purchase a faraday bag, which are used to block electromagnetic fields and stop criminals from accessing electronic car keys remotely.

Those with Secured by Design accreditation work best.

You can check the effectiveness of the bag by securing the keys inside and walking towards the vehicle and checking it doesn’t unlock.

Additionally, some key fobs can be “turned off” but individual vehicle owners will need to check if this is possible with manufacturers and local dealerships.

The use of CCTV can also act as a deterrent and valuable evidence gathering tool for police if your vehicle is targeted.

Wheel locks can also render your vehicle immobile and difficult for thieves to bypass.

Officers in the area are doing everything they can to bring the thieves to justice and are pursuing all lines of enquiry available to them.

Police say they don’t wish to spark alarm, but we do want people to be safe and equipped with the knowledge they need to protect their property.

This comes after four vehicles were targeted in Spalding in the early hours of today.

Thieves targeted a Volvo vehicle on Osier Road in the town at around 2.40am but were thankfully unsuccessful in stealing the vehicle. Inc29 of 28/02/24.

Several hours later a blue BMW 840I M SPORT was stolen from Carrington Close in Spalding at around 6.40am. Inc57 of 28/02/24.

A grey Audi Q4 E-TRON was taken around 15 minutes later from Larkspur Way in Spalding. Inc63 of 28/02/24.

While Inc119 of 28/02/24 saw thieves try to steal an Audi from a nearby road at 9.20am.

Officers believe these four incidents are linked.

An unrelated incident saw a grey Landrover Discovery was also stolen from Pilgrim Hospital car park in Boston at around 7am, though a different method may have been used by thieves. Inc64 of 28/02/24.

We are investigating these crimes and would welcome any information from members of the public.

If you’ve seen these vehicles in these areas at these times, please get in touch. Or if you know where they are or have information that could help us locate these vehicles, contact us.

You can call 101, quoting one of the above incidents, or you can contact DC Matt Wharton by emailing matt.wharton@lincs.police.uk using one of the incident numbers in the subject line